Adventures in Babysitting
by humblefan
Summary: ATF AU The team must protect a young kidnap victim. But who does she need protection from? NEW CHAPTER UP!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Eternal thanks to MOG who created the ATF AU and all the other fabulous writers who have expanded it. Enjoy the show!_

**CHAPTER 1**

Vin Tanner was irritated. And bored. Not a good combination for an ATF agent during an undercover assignment. For the past week he accompanied Team 7's undercover agent Ezra Standish on three late night meetings. They had made contact with a member of the Genovese crime family. This crime family usually dealt with extortion, prostitution, and gambling; none of which fell in the parameters of ATF involvement. However, no other federal or state agencies had ever been able to get close to this family. With the FBI's encouragement, Team 7 got involved.

By some lucky chance, Ezra had been sought out by an underling thinking that he was connected to the family. This junior member, Danny Scolone, was so desperate to make a name for himself that he asked Ezra for advice constantly. Eager to make this productive, Ezra, or Elliot Samuels as he was known, insisted that the get-togethers happened at a distribution warehouse on the river that was a front for the family's activities. The team was able to get details about the layout and possible entrance points. There was no sign of any upcoming activity, but Chris Larabee, Team 7's leader, didn't want this opportunity to go to waste. So Ezra, along with his "bodyguard" Vin, met up with Danny to talk about the whiny concerns of a criminal peon.

Vin's face must have showed his displeasure with this situation. Danny looked scared as the two men walked through the warehouse entrance. "Did I interrupt something ya planned?"

Ezra patted the man on the shoulder. He noticed the weasel of a man was sporting a black eye. "Nothing that couldn't be rescheduled. Now what is so paramount that my attendance is required?"

"Huh?"

Vin growled, "Why are we here?"

"Well, it's gots to do with dis pick-up I had. It was supposed to be a simple job. My Uncle Johnny is gonna kill me when he shows up tomorrow."

All ears in the surveillance van outside the warehouse perked up with the mention of "Uncle Johnny." John Scolone was the right hand man of Antonio Genovese, the current head of the family. If he was showing up tomorrow, then something was definitely up.

J.D. Dunne adjusted some knobs on the equipment in the van. It was his job to make sure that everything got recorded for future reference and possible use in prosecution. The hidden mikes in Ezra's and Vin's jackets were picking up sounds well, but he didn't want to take the chance of missing anything that could be use later.

Buck Wilmington watched his partner and roommate fiddle with the equipment. "Did you hear that, Chris? Maybe we'll end up with a golden egg on this wild goose chase," he asked into the headset he was wearing.

In the SUV parked down the street, Chris Larabee and two other members of Team 7, Nathan Jackson and Josiah Sanchez, were also listening to the activity in the warehouse. "We can only hope," he responded. Just like the other members of his team, he was annoyed with the lack of progress they had been making. Granted, lack of progress meant no gunfights or trips to the hospital, which always seem to find them. Chris reluctantly admitted to himself that he would rather sit on a stakeout for the next week than sit in another waiting room. He pulled out of his thoughts to focus back on the whiny voice coming through his headset.

"I didn't know who else to call. I thought maybe ya could help me."

Ezra sighed impatiently. "Mr. Scolone, your admiration is prematurely assigned. What is the dilemma causing you such palpitations?" When the young man looked at him blankly, he amended, "What's the problem?"

Danny led them to a supervisor's office in the rear of the warehouse. He knocked on the door and then opened it. The agents led the man enter first to let their eyes adjust to the low light in the room.

A heavyset man sat behind the desk with his feet propped up. He was still snoring away, completely oblivious to the visitors. But that was not what caught Ezra's attention. It was the body on the floor that drew him into the room.

It was a woman, no, a girl really. She was lying on the bare floor on her back with one arm handcuffed to the bottom handle of a filing cabinet. Her other arm was across her chest, bloody and bruised.

Trusting that Vin to watch his back, Ezra crossed the room and knelt beside the girl. She was either asleep or unconscious. "Who is she?"

J.D. looked at Buck. "She?"

Danny whispered, "She was da pick-up. It was suppose da be easy. But things got rough and . . ."

"Who is she?" Vin demanded quietly.

The criminal instinctively stepped away from the sharpshooter. "Some cop's kid."

"What the . . ." Chris muttered. "Buck, call the Judge and tell him that we have a hostage situation, a possible kidnapping. J.D., get online and see if the FBI is working a kidnapping case involving an officer's child."

Ezra spoke up. "Her entire body is shivering, yet her skin is wet and clammy. One side of her face is bruised. She is taking quick, shallow breaths. Her right arm might be broken." He knew Nathan was listening. "How long has she been like this?"

"We grabbed her two days ago. She started getting sick last night."

Josiah kept his hand on the medic's shoulder, keeping him from running out of the SUV.

"I want you to uncuff her. How long has she been like this?" Ezra felt something on his shoulder and turned to see Vin handing him his jacket. When Danny released her arm, the undercover agent gently placed it on the girl.

Her eyes fluttered. "Daddy?" The raspy voice nearly broke the southerner's heart.

The thug sleeping at the desk had woken up at this point. One look from Vin and he knew not to say a word.

"She needs to be taken to a hospital immediately," Ezra stated.

Danny panicked. "No, she can't! That's da problem. How can I explain dis to the doc? No hospital, no hospital!"

Vin wanted to shove this idiot's face into the floor.

Ezra tried again. "Then, how about I bring the physician to her? I have a close acquaintance with medical training who will not ask questions."

Chris was distracted by Buck's voice. "Judge Travis wants to talk to you . . . now."

"Damn it. All right. Josiah, send Vin a text message and tell them to pull out. We'll meet at the gas station two blocks down. Buck, go there now and we'll follow Ez and Vin."

Nathan started, "But Chris . . ."

"I know, but we can't just bust in there. This seems pretty fishy. Plus, we could jeopardize the investigation," Chris reasoned out loud. He was trying to convince himself that leaving the girl there was the best option, but he knew it was weak.

As Ezra continued to question the flustered criminal, Vin felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. Knowing that communicating this way was always the last resort, he pulled it out. "Mr. Samuels, your wife is wondering where you are."

"Oh, dear. I forgot to inform my significant other of this change of plans. I am afraid she may not forgive my lack of attention this particular week," Ezra replied with the appropriate amount of worry in his voice.

"She's got ya pretty whipped, huh?" The whiny criminal couldn't help but smirk.

"She does wield a considerable amount of power over me. I think I should be in a personal appearance to appease her ire. Meanwhile, I will ponder your predicament and attempt to find an agreeable solution."

Danny didn't even attempt to translate the confusing words. He just looked at Vin, who sighed and said, "He's gonna go calm his wife down. He'll think about a way to get you out of this mess."

"Okay. And thanks, Mr. Samuels. I didn't know who else to trust."

Ezra smiled. "You can trust me, Mr. Scolone."

A few minutes later, Ezra's Jaguar pulled into the gas station where the other members of the team were waiting. Chris was standing away from the others, still talking with the Judge. Nathan first approached the pair.

"That was real smart of you, telling us her symptoms. How old do you think she is?" Nathan inquired.

"I'd venture to say she is in her mid-teens. Where is Mr. Dunne?"

Buck stepped up. "He's still listening. Your chivalry has given us a pair of ears in there," he replied, referring to the microphone hidden in the jacket.

"What the hell are we waiting for?" Vin drawled.

"Damn it!" Chris threw the cell phone into the SUV. "Travis wants us to wait 'til he can confirm the kidnapping. Did JD find anything?"

"Nothing online," Buck replied. "How long do we wait?"

Ezra frowned. "That girl needs medical attention now. I fear the stark conditions of the warehouse have exacerbated the poor treatment given her."

"We have to follow procedure. If it is kidnapping, then the Feds need to get involved. And if she is an officer's child, then we need to contact Denver PD."

"There is a reason to doubt that claim," Josiah added. "This man is desperate to impress Ezra. Maybe he thought a higher profile kidnapping would do the trick."

"I don't care if she's the love child of Brad and Angelina. She's sick and needs help." Nathan was getting impatient.

"The Judge is calling Assistant Director Phillips from the Denver FBI office and Police Commissioner Mancuso right now. We've been ordered to wait for his call." Chris's glare was the sign that the discussion was over.

The next half hour was tense. Buck joined J.D. back in the van. Chris paced. Josiah divided his time between Nathan and Vin, both of whom were getting angrier every minute. Ezra kept thinking about what he had seen and what he should have done.

Suddenly the van door slid open. "We've been made," Buck announced.

Before anyone could say anything, J.D. played back some recorded audio. "Hello? . . . Oh, hi Uncle Johnny . . . What? ATF? Shit! . . . I didn't . . . OK . . . I'll get rid of her . . . Yeah, I know that spot . . . No problem. And I'm really sor . . . OK. I'll be there . . . Bye."

"They're on the move." J.D. pulled out a small black device. He smiled shyly. "I kinda slipped tracking bugs in Ez and Vin's jackets. I figured they'd end up in trouble at some point."

Buck slapped his shoulder proudly. "Good thinking, son," Josiah said. Chris nodded his approval.

Ezra looked shocked. "Is he insinuating that we are tend to find ourselves in perilous situations?"

Vin grinned. "I reckon he is."

"Let's follow them," Chris barked. "We won't engage them unless we witness a crime or get word from Travis." Ezra and Vin joined Buck and J.D. in the surveillance van, while the other three returned to the SUV. The van led the way down the road.

J.D. navigated the two cars through the warehouse district. The audio from the jacket was still working, but sounded muffled. "The signal has stopped moving. They should be about 50 yards ahead," he announced.

The team got out of the vehicles without speaking. They worked through way around packing crates. J.D. still had a headset on. "I think I can hear water."

"There they are," Buck pointed out. Ahead was the edge of the loading dock. The lights from the warehouses were not strong enough to penetrate the dark night. The outline of two figures carrying something between them could barely be made out.

"What are they doing?" Chris demanded. No one could see well enough to answer. But there were now close enough to hear the men grunted with the load they were carrying. Then, there was a splash.

"Aw hell, they dumped her," Vin whispered angrily.

Chris had already left his hiding place. He watched a car speed off. By the time he reached the edge of the dock, he had already pulled off his boots. He dropped his gun inside one and dove into the water.

Although the spring days were getting warmer, the river water was shockingly cold. Chris mentally blocked the cold from seizing up his muscles. He dove under the water, stretching out his arms and legs to maximize his search.

When he hit the surface to take another breath, he noticed Buck was in the water now, searching closer to the dock. The others were still on the dock, trying to see through the blackness to help out.

"Brother, there!" Josiah pointed to a spot behind Chris. He turned and saw bubbles on the surface. Taking a deep breath, he dove under again and reached down. He stretched as far as he could. Hair brushed his fingers. He wrapped his hands around the hair and with the last of his energy he pushed himself to the surface.

He broke through the water, gasping for air. He pulled the body up to lie across his chest as he swam towards the dock. Buck met him there and helped him lift the lifeless body up towards their waiting teammates.

Ezra and J.D. had already been sent back to the SUV for Nathan's medical bag and emergency blankets. They helped Chris and Buck out of the river while Nathan assessed the girl. Her hands were bound together with Vin's jacket in front. Her skin was deathly pale and cold. She had a steady pulse, but wasn't breathing.

Nathan tilted her head back, pinched her nose, and puffed into her mouth. He repeated this four times before she started coughing up water. He turned her on her side to help get the water out of her lungs.

She continued to cough roughly. Nathan pulled her up into a sitting position and moved behind her to keep her upright. He could feel the rattle of her lungs as she fought to breath. He took a blanket Josiah handed him and wrapped it around both him and the girl, trapping in as much of his body heat as possible.

Vin knelt down and cut through his jacket binding her hands together with a pocketknife. This gave Nathan the first chance to see the injured arm. "Nathan?"

The medic looked up to see the dripping and shivering leader of Team 7. "She needs a hospital. Now."

"I'll call an ambulance," J.D. offered.

Chris shook his head. "That will draw too much attention. We'll take her in ourselves."

At this moment the girl started to struggle against Nathan. "It's OK. You're safe," he tried to assure her. She continued to struggle, but weakly.

Chris knelt beside Vin. "We're not going to hurt you. We're ATF agents."

The girl opened her eyes and mumbled something.

"What?"

The girl repeated in a loud rough whisper, "P-Prove . . . it. Badge."

Vin chuckled. "Well, Cowboy. Prove it."

Chris glared at him as he dug into his soaked black jeans. He pulled out his wallet and opened it to show his shield. The girl reached out with her uninjured arm and touched it. "OK? What's your name?"

The girl's arm dropped down. She appeared to pass out.

"We need to go now. Josiah?" Nathan looked up at his friend. Smiling, the profiler easily scooped the girl into his arms. The team started back to where the vehicles were hidden.

Chris started giving orders. "J.D. and Buck, take the van back to the office and started logging anything and everything that can be used as evidence. Ezra, go with them. Call the Judge and tell him what the hell happened. Someone sold us out. If I talk to him right now, I'm likely to lose my job. Nathan, Josiah, and I will take her to the hospital."

"What about me?" Vin asked.

"Well, Junior, I'd appreciate it greatly if you would go in that damn water and find my manhood. That water was freezing," Buck growled.

J.D. smacked his shoulder. "It wasn't that bad."

"Do you want to find out?"

"Uh, no."

"Then, shut up, kid, and get in the damn van."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I'm stealing the idea that Chris and Vin can "talk" each other without speaking. That will be indicated with //._ CHAPTER 2 

Chris Larabee found himself exactly where he didn't want to be, in a hospital waiting room. After arriving at the emergency room, he and the other two members of his team were summarily dismissed by the staff. A sympathetic nurse reminded them where the waiting room was. Josiah quickly ran off to find coffee and Nathan found a magazine that was actually new.

Chris was left with his own thoughts, which was not a good thing. How could a police officer's child have been taken two days ago and no one had known about it? No Amber alert, no news coverage, nothing. At the least there would have been some sort of rumor floating around the Federal building. You could always trust government employees to have their ears open and tongues flapping.

Then there was the issue of that damn phone call. Who the hell gave them up? The Genovese family now knew that they had been played. Any chance for a clean and simple bust was shot to shit. God, if that phone call had come any sooner, Chris could be waiting to hear about one of his own men. The timing of that phone call . . .

A throat being cleared roused him from his thoughts. He looked up to see a grinning Vin holding out a bag. "I picked up some clothes for ya. Thought ya wouldn't want to sit 'round like a wet sponge."

Chris nodded his thanks and went to find the closest restroom. When he returned, he saw Nathan's wife Rain had joined the group. Nathan had called her after alerting the hospital of their arrival. She had been on her way out after her 18-hour shift was over. She stuck around to find out what was going on with the girl.

Rain saw Chris returning to the group. "All right, here's what I found out. Dr. Chang is working on her. He's a good doctor. So far he is treating her for severe dehydration with an IV. Her kidneys appear to be functioning fine. Her arm is most likely sprained, but an x-ray has already been scheduled. What the biggest concern is now is the pneumonia. From what Nathan told me, it's probably been a couple of days. Her lungs getting soaked didn't help any. He has started a broad-spectrum antibiotic for now. A blood test will determine the specific bacteria and then they will use a more effective antibiotic. He will need to know if she has any allergies to medications. Have you been able to contact her parents?"

"She didn't have any ID on her and she passed out before she told us any names," Chris answered. He lowered his voice. "Do we need to get a court order for a rape kit?"

He could feel the men around him tense up. Luckily Rain spoke quickly. "There's no evidence to warrant one. Besides, she may be over 15 years old, so she may be capable of giving informed consent once she is stabilized."

"Has she said anything?" Josiah asked.

Rain shook her head. "The pneumonia and dehydration have basically knocked her out. A couple of hours of liquids and meds will help her become aware and coherent." She quickly covered a yawn.

Nathan put an arm around her shoulders. "Where is she now?"

"She's still in the ER, waiting for the x-ray. It'll probably be another hour or so, then she'll be moved to a recovery room."

Chris asked, "Who do I talk to about getting her into a private room?"

"I told Dr. Chang that you would want to speak with him right away. He should be coming out here pretty soon," Rain replied.

"Thanks for all your help, Rain. Take your husband home."

Nathan frowned, "How about you? You didn't exactly take a relaxing swim in the river tonight."

"I'm staying until the girl wakes up. We've got to get a name to contact her parents.

"Don't worry, Nate," Vin smiled. "Josiah and I will keep him out of trouble." With an eye roll from the blond, the couple chuckled and said their good byes.

Watching the couple walk away, Vin turned back to the team leader. "Why a private room?"

"Those damn thugs didn't have a problem killing her tonight. If they find out that she's not dead, they might try again."

Josiah spoke up, "And there is the matter of that mysterious phone call.

"What 'bout it?"

The older man looked at Chris, who nodded, before continuing. "They were informed of our presence after Travis spoke with Chris." 

Vin's eyes widened. "You don't think the Judge . . ."

"Of course not!" Chris snapped. Josiah placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Sorry. But Travis called the FBI and Denver PD. Who knows how many people were contacted while we were waiting? God, we sat there with thumbs up our asses for over twenty minutes! Someone knew about the kid and didn't have a problem with killing her."

"This might also explain why this particular family has been so difficult to prosecute." Josiah shook his head in disbelief. "They could have an inside man."

"So, where does the kid fit in to all this?" Vin asked.

Chris sighed. "I don't know." The adrenaline rush that had been fueling him through the evening was finally wearing down. He sat down heavily in a chair. "This is going to be a real mess."

"How about I get us some more coffee?" Josiah proposed. "Rain mentioned it could be another hour."

He stood up and noticed a young Asian man in a white lab coat walking towards them. "Brothers, I think the doctor is here."

Chris stood and quickly made introductions. "How is she? Is she awake?"

Dr. Chang knew the reputation of Team 7's leader. Other doctors would rather deal with hysterical parents and crazed drug addicts than this man. Taking a deep breath, he started, "She is responding well to the IV. It will be a couple of hours before we see how the antibiotic is working. The x-ray didn't show any fractures in her arm, so we will treat her for a sprain. Her shoulder is also showing signs of trauma, but nothing too serious. There is no sign of concussion, but she will have a nasty bruise on her face for the next couple of days." He paused to catch his breath. "She is being moved to recovery now."

Josiah tried to hide the smile that threatened to break out on his face. He knew Chris could intimidate the hell out of anyone. This kid was trying hard to hold his own.

Chris shook his head. "She needs a private room."

The young doctor frowned. Before Chris could attack, Vin explained, "She may be in danger from the folks who did this to her. She's gonna need a security detail posted outside her room."

"OK, well, I'll . . . I'll get the head of security down here to . . . to talk with you," Dr. Chang stammered. He collected himself. "I will start arranging the room right now." He quickly excused himself and left.

Chris looked at his watch. It was past midnight, now Friday morning. He turned to his teammates. "As soon as she is settled, you two head home. I'll stick around and speak with security about the measures I want put in place.

//I ain't leavin' ya here, Cowboy.//

//Damn it, Vin. Can't you just do what you're told?//

//Nope.//

Josiah sat back down. He could tell his teammates were having one of their "private" conversations.

A nurse stepped into the waiting room. She glanced at the two men staring at each other and quickly decided to deal with the older man sitting down. "Sir?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Are you the gentlemen who brought in the girl?"

Josiah nodded. She approached him and handed him a chain. "The doctor said that this was the only personal item on her." She looked around and lowered her voice. "Jewelry tends to end up missing around here."

"Really?"

The young woman took another furtive look around and then sat down next to him. "Are you guys cops? I just started here and everyone seems to know who you are."

The profiler smiled. "We do seem to show up here quite a bit. We are Team 7 from ATF."

With wide eyes, she repeated, "Team 7?" She looked at Chris and Vin, who just noticed her. She lowered her voice again. "Did you know that there is a pool on you guys?"

Josiah heard Vin chuckled. Chris stomped up to the nurse. "A pool?" he growled.

The woman looked up at the scary blond man staring down at her. "Y . . Yes. I mean . . . I don't . . . " She appealed to the nice older man next to here, who patted her arm assuredly.

"Brother, try to remember the saying 'Don't kill the messenger.' Thank you, my dear, for the chain. I will keep it safe." Josiah helped her to her feet and gently pushed her out of the waiting room. He turned back to his fuming friend. "Now, Chris, try to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down. I don't like the idea of people placing bets on us." Chris muttered.

Vin smirked. "I got twenty on J.D."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Means next time we're on a bust, I'm gonna make sure J.D. stubs his big toe or somethin' so he ends up here."

"Now Brother, that is a very callous thing to do. Besides, my money would be on Ezra. That boy is an accident magnet."

"This has got to be the sickest thing I've every heard of." Chris could barely keep the grin off his face as he whispered loudly to Josiah, "Anyway, the safest bet would be Vin."

The sharpshooter tried to look hurt, but the smirk didn't help.

The same young nurse rushed into the waiting room. "Gentleman, Dr. Chang needs to see you now."

The three men followed the woman down the corridor. As they approached a suite, they could hear raised voices and coughing.

Inside, the girl was struggling with the doctor to get out of the bed. She was coughing heavily. She had already pulled out the IV and blood was dripping from her uninjured arm.

Dr. Chang saw the agents. "She's been asking for the ATF man. Maybe one of you can calm her down. I don't want to have to sedate her."

Chris went to step forward, but an arm stopped him. "Be sure to show your badge," Josiah suggested.

Pulling out his wallet, he held it open as he spoke. "You're OK now. You're safe." He stood beside the bed, not knowing what else to do.

Still coughing, the girl did calm down. She briefly touched the badge. "Where am I?" she rasped.

Dr. Chang cleared his throat. "You are at Mercy General Hospital in Denver. Are you from Denver?"

The girl nodded slowly. She looked around the room at each person. "Where's . . . my dad?"

"We'll get him here as soon as we can. But we need your help. What's your name?" Chris asked.

"My name . . . is . . . Jill Carlisle."

"Well, Jill, I'm Chris and these are my friends Josiah and Vin. You tell us who you want us to call and we'll make sure they know you are OK." He pointed to the doctor. "Doctor Chang is here to help you feel better, so you need to do what he says. "

For the first time, the girl spoke to the doctor. "I don't feel good. What's the matter with me?"

Dr. Chang smiled. "Nothing that can't be easily fixed. You've developed pneumonia. Have you been feeling sick lately?"

"Yeah. Mr. Demetrios let me leave work early 'cause I wasn't feeling good. I was waiting for the bus when . . ." The little color that had returned to the girl's face disappeared.

Josiah stepped forward. "Do you work at Mr. D's Music Emporium?"

"Yes, sir. How did you know?"

"I met Mr. Demetrios about a year ago. He donated instruments for a few church concerts." Josiah sat down on a stool next to the bed. "Are you a musician as well?"

For the first time, Chris saw a small smile on the girl's face. "Yes, sir. I play the violin."

The profiler looked at the doctor. "Can I stay and speak with Jill about her musical talent while you finish your examination?" Dr. Chang agreed.

Chris patted Josiah's shoulder. He knew his friend would keep the girl calm enough for the doctor to finish settling her in. "We'll work on contacting your parents. I'll need all the phone numbers you can think of to help.

"Just my dad, sir. Peter Carlisle. He's a detective with the police department."

Vin found a piece of paper and a pen. The girl wrote down several phone numbers. Chris and Vin left the room to let the doctor and the nurse finish their work.

The team leader patted his pockets looking for his cell phone. "Where the hell is that damn thing?" he growled.

"Last time I saw it, it was flyin' through the air in yer car," Vin commented with a straight face.

"Shit. All right. You start calling those numbers. I'll go back to the car and get my phone. I bet Travis tried to call me by now." Chris headed out to the parking lot.

By the time he got back to the waiting room, he listened to his four messages. First one was from Ezra. It took the undercover agent three minutes to convey that he had talked with AD Travis. The second message was from Nathan, wanting an update on the girl. The next message was from the former judge, expecting to meet with Chris at 9:00 am. The final message was from Buck. His oldest friend was checking in to let Chris know that he, J.D., and Ezra had finished at the office and were heading home. He also offered to take care of the horses at Chris' ranch in the morning.

He had just sat down in the same damn waiting room when Vin walked up. From the look on the sniper's face, Chris knew the news was not good. "What's wrong?"

"Seems the dad's missing too. The precinct sergeant said Carlisle ain't been in since Wednesday. He ain't answering his cell and I had to leave a message on the home phone."

Chris growled. "This is getting worse every minute. Now we have a missing cop."

"Time to call in the Fibbies?" Vin asked.

"I'll let Travis make that call. I'm meeting with him later."

"Whatcha gonna tell the girl?"

The idea of sharing this news with the girl did not sit well with the team leader. "Let's talk to Josiah and the doctor, see what they think."

The two men made their way back to the private suite. A security guard was standing outside the door. "I'm supposed to speak with an Agent Larabee."

"That's me. Vin, go in and get Josiah and Chang. We need to work out a plan."

For the next fifteen minutes, the four men discussed what to do with Jill Carlisle. Vin shared his attempts to contact the father. Medically speaking, she would be ready to be released later that day. Dr. Chang explained that recovering from pneumonia is best done outside the hospital, but would be willing to allow her to stay until Monday to give them more time to find the father. "Should the child be told about her father?" the doctor asked.

Josiah nodded. "The sooner, the better. She is very intelligent and quite mature for her age. She will know something is not right."

"We can do that together," Chris suggested. "But first we need to make decisions about her safety."

The security guard asked, "Who does she need protection from?"

"That there's the million dollar question," Vin mumbled.

"She is in ATF protective custody." Chris ignored the look Vin and Josiah gave each other. "I want one of my men with her at all times. Is that gonna be a problem?"

"Not at all. I'll make sure that everyone is made aware of the situation. We will also want to limit the access to her room."

Dr. Chang added, "I see that specific nurses are assigned to her care. I will also recommend that Dr. Jackson oversee her case when I'm not on duty."

The doctor and the security guard left to talk care of their share of the details. Josiah turned to Chris. "I volunteer to stay for the first shift, but I think we should talk to her about her father together."

Chris agreed and the three men stepped back into the room.

The girl turned to face them. The tears on her face told them she had heard everything they said.

The young nurse who had spoken with Josiah earlier approached the men. "I wanted to come out and tell you that we could hear what you were saying, but she wouldn't let me leave."

Chris wanted to point out in no uncertain terms that a bedridden kid didn't have the strength to keep her from doing anything, but Josiah spoke up instead. "Thank you for staying with her. We'll take it from here."

"What's going on? What happened to my dad?' she cried. She started to cough.

Josiah moved immediately to her side. "Jill, I need you to calm down." He continued to speak evenly to the girl as her tears and coughs slowed down and stopped.

Vin passed a tissue box to Josiah, who held it out to the girl. She grabbed a couple and hid her face behind them. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Chris snapped. He softened his next words. "I don't know exactly what is happening, or where your father is. But I will find out."

The girl looked up to the man dressed in black standing at the end of her bed. When others often ran away in fear from this man, she felt secure. "Yes, sir."

"And enough with the sir. You call me Chris, OK?"

Josiah smiled during the exchange. He knew once Chris committed to a cause, nothing would keep him from finishing it.

After explaining how Josiah would be spending the rest of the night with her, the men excused themselves to the hall.

"Protective custody?" Vin mumbled. "Thought only Travis could do that."

Chris replied, "He will . . . in about 8 hours." He left final instructions with a chuckling Josiah and headed out of the hospital with Vin.

"I'm assuming that I can crash at your place tonight?"

"Sure, Cowboy."

On the way to the car, Chris pulled out his cell phone. He hit speed dial #1 and waited for an answer.

"Wilmington."

"Buck, it's Chris."

"Jesus, Chris. Do you know what time . . .?"

"Shut up. I need to talk to the kid now."

"All right, all right. Calm down, you royal pain in . . . "

Chris heard his friend bellow for his roommate. Fifteen seconds later, he heard the phone change hands. "Hello?"

"J.D., I need you to do a search on a Peter Carlisle, a detective for DPD. I want anything and everything you can find in the office by 8 am." The team leader could hear his computer expert pushing away Buck, who was probably trying to listen in.

"OK, Chris. I'll get it done."

"I know you will, son. See you at 8."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Chris and Vin pulled into the ATF vehicle lot at 7:45. Their personal vehicles were still in the employee parking lot from the night before. They dropped off the keys for the SUV and made their way towards the elevators. Chris had wanted a few minutes before J.D. showed up to start his own report on the late night incident.

When they stepped off the elevator and into the bullpen, Chris was surprised to see Buck sitting at his desk. "What are you doing here?"

"You owe me big time, Larabee."

Puzzled by Buck's glare, he opened his mouth but soon found out why his normally jolly friend was not a happy camper.

"Hey, Buck, here's your coffee. Oh, hi, Chris, You're here early. And you're here too, Vin. Why are you here? Oh, I know! Chris stayed with you last night. Well, wait, not last night. It would be this morning. I mean, earlier this morning. Did Buck tell you we took care of the horses for you? It only took us about 30 minutes. Your neighbor Charlie came over and helped us out. He's a really nice guy. And I've got lots of information about that guy you wanted me to find."

"Stop, J.D. Take a breath." Chris turned to Buck. "Has he been like this long?"

Buck yawned. "He has been downing Cokes since you called. I lost count after the fifth one." He sipped at the coffee and grimaced. "Damn kid. How much sugar did you dump in here?"

J.D.'s face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't notice. I'll get you a new one." He ran off before anyone could say anything.

Vin noted, "Kid seems a might . . ." He looked to Chris. "I can't think of the right word."

"Hyper? Manic? Crazed?" Chris offered.

"Hey, he's just a little wired," Buck defended his roommate. "You know that kid would crawl to Texas and back on his hands and knees for the big boss man here." He looked to Chris. "When do you meet with Travis?"

"In about an hour."

J.D. returned from the break room with a new cup of coffee. "Here, try this one."

"Thanks, J.D. And I'm sorry for being short with you. I'm still a little tired."

"But I thought old people needed less sleep because . . . they're old!" J.D. dodged the slap to the back of his head.

Chris knew this could escalate quickly. "All right, gentlemen. I've got a meeting with AD Travis that I would like to be prepared for. J.D., where's that information on Carlisle?"

"Oh, I can tell you all about him. He was born May 25, 1968 in Peoria, Illinois. He won a wrestling scholarship, but went into the Air Force instead. When he was stationed in Texas in 1989, he got married. He flew during the Gulf War. He was given a hardship discharge in 1993. He divorced in 1994 and moved with his daughter to Chicago. He went through the police academy in 1997 and worked at the 27th Precinct until 2000, when they moved here to Denver."

Chris digested what he heard. "Did you find out more about the hardship discharge?"

J.D. looked through some printouts. "Um, yeah. Here it is. It seems that his wife was driving drunk and caused a three-car accident with some major injuries. She had the baby with her. The girl was only 2 years old. The wife had already had a suspended license, so she ended up in jail for a couple of months. Carlisle filed for divorce while she was in the clink."

"The clink?"

"Yeah, Vin. You know, the big house, the slammer, the cooler."

"No more gangster movies for you, kid. Could the ex have something to do with the kidnapping?" Buck asked.

J.D. searched for another paper. "I thought of that too. So I did a search for her, Elizabeth Carlisle, who changed back to her maiden name Elizabeth Hunter. She died from cirrhosis in 2002."

"How 'bout his caseload? Any connections to the Genovese family?"

"None that I could tell. The only thing I could find out is that he's a working with Crimes Against Persons Bureau at the 3rd Precinct."

The elevator bell sounded. The men looked over to see Ezra Standish stepped through. He was dressed as stylish as ever, despite the early hour.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Chris was not the only one surprised to see the team's undercover agent. Standish was not known to show up to work early.

"Good morning to you, too, Mr. Larabee. I see your disposition is as sunny as ever. Salutations to the rest of you gentlemen." He stepped up to the group. "AD Travis felt it would be best for you to have a colleague during the meeting this morning. He strongly suggested I be the one to accompany you."

J.D.'s face lit up. "You're his babysitter?"

Buck grinned. "Why would Chris be needing a babysitter?"

"I don't need a goddamn babysitter!"

Ignoring the outburst, Ezra continued, "There will be other participants in the meeting that may need protection from our illustrious leader's temperament."

"Who?"

"FBI Assistant Director Phillips and Police Commissioner Mancuso. I believe AD Travis is troubled by the possibility that members of law enforcement are divulging confidential information to the criminal element."

Chris nodded. "I've been thinking the same thing. That phone call came after Travis talked to Phillips and Mancuso. Someone with a badge is talking to the wrong people."

"Do you think it's this Carlisle guy?" J.D. asked. "No, it can't be him. He wouldn't have them kill his own daughter. Or would he? Maybe he didn't know who she really was? God, that would be horrible to find out that you helped someone murder your own daughter. Oh, wait. Maybe he's . . ." His last words were muffled by Buck's hand covering his mouth.

The smallest hint of a smile graced Ezra's face. "Has Mr. Dunne been exceeding the daily recommended amount of sugar . . . again?"

"I reckon he's jest shy of an OD," Vin drawled.

//Can you take care of the kid for a while?//

//Sure thing, Cowboy.//

"Hey, J.D., do ya wanna hit the gym with me for . . ."

"Wow, Vin. That would be awesome. I've been wanting to ask you to show me those moves you used on that guy on our last bust. You know the guy I'm talking about? He was huge and you dropped him so fast!"

Vin smiled at the other men as he led the hyped-up computer expert towards the elevator. He nodded at Buck who mouthed "Thanks, Junior."

The three remaining men used the silence to prepare for the meeting with AD Travis. Chris and Ezra read over all the information that J.D. had printed off about Peter Carlisle. Buck worked on the transcript of the surveillance tape and finalized his report of the night's events. J.D. and Ezra had finished their reports the night before. Chris wanted to bring as much supporting material to this material, now that Phillips and Mancuso were going to be part of this. There was no way that his team was going to take any blame for what went down. He would have preferred to have the girl's statement, but a quick call to Josiah ended that idea. The girl was finally sleeping. It had taken Josiah a long time to get her settled enough to rest, only to be disrupted by coughing fits and nurse visits. They decided to see how the meeting progressed before forcing her to detail what happened to her.

M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7M7

It was almost 11 when Chris and Ezra finally returned to the 14th floor. The rest of the team, which now included Nathan, tried to gauge how the meeting went. Ezra, of course, was completely impossible to read. Chris barged through the office, his face as grim as ever. The only thing we said was,

"Conference room, now."

The four men followed them into the large room and filled in spots around the long table.

Buck was first to break the silence. "All right, give it to us straight. Are we getting raises or do I have to start charging my dates?"

"Like anyone would pay," J.D. snorted.

Even Ezra smiled at the look at Buck's face. Chris shook his head. Leave it to Buck to break the tension in his own way. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"All right, boys. What do you want first, the good news, the not-so-good news, or the bad news?"

Nathan spoke up. "It is Friday. Let's start with the good news."

"The FBI was so pleased with our investigative endeavors concerning the Genovese family that we have been given a complementary furlough."

J.D. squinted at Ezra. "What?"

Chris answered. "Since we were made, we don't have to stake out the warehouse anymore."

"OK. That's pretty good. What's the not-so-good news?"

"Well, the FBI is still trying to build a case against the family. They now want to include kidnapping charges. But since the family believes the girl is dead, the Feds don't want to take custody of the girl."

Vin started, "So that means . . ."

Chris sighed. "We will be the ones providing witness protection. We are on stand down until further notice."

He ignored the groans from the men around the table. After sitting in a hospital waiting room or hanging out in a surveillance van listening to criminals drone on and on, watching over a witness in a safe house was the third worst thing to do.

"Does that mean we get out of court next week?" J.D. asked eagerly.

Chris had to work hard on not smiling. It seemed that watching over a witness was the fourth worst thing to do. "No. Everyone except for Nathan is scheduled for the Chesterfield trial starting Tuesday."

"Why are they dumping her on us?" Buck demanded.

Ezra said, "It seems that the our law enforcement brethren concur with Mr. Larabee's theory that the source of the leak is someone within the police department."

Nathan leaned forward. "Do they have a specific person in mind?"

"Yeah. That's the bad news. They say it's the kid's father."

Buck whistled. "How did they come up with that?"

"That's what took so damn long," Chris growled. "Once we gave them Carlisle's name, we contacted his captain and had him come in. It turns out this guy is being investigated by Internal Affairs. The captain said it was an anonymous tip that Carlisle has been working with the Genovese family."

Ezra continued, "The powers that be feel it explains how this particular criminal element has been able to avoid legal prosecution for years."

"And the captain said that no one has heard from Carlisle since Tuesday night. He suspects either he's either on the run or is dead."

The men around the table sat in silence.

"But it don't explain the phone call. If he was the one who called, how the hell did he know about us?" Nathan asked.

"That's where Travis took control. He demanded to be kept informed of any developments. The FBI is going to launch a full investigation to find how our involvement got out. They want to question the girl and have her look through some mug shots, but Ezra was able to convince them to wait until Monday." Chris looked down at his watch. "Josiah's been at the hospital for almost 12 hours. Let's figure out a rotation for watching the kid. We still have to work to do."

It was finally decided that Ezra would relieve Josiah for the rest of the day. Buck followed him to the hospital to drive Josiah home since his Suburban was still at the office from the night before. They greeted the security guard at the door of the private suite and walked in.

Josiah was slouched in a chair next to the bed, his chin down on his chest. The girl was sleeping sitting up, the bed slightly elevated. She looked flushed and clammy. The bruise on her face was now yellowish-brown. IV lines ran from her left hand. Her right arm was wrapped and in a sling. She wore a nasal cannula, but it didn't seem to be helping. Her raspy breathing could be heard from across the room.

Before either man could say a word, Josiah whispered, "Morning, Ezra. Buck." He stood up and motioned them to leave the room.

"It's almost afternoon, 'Siah. How did you know it was us?" Buck asked quietly once they were in the hall.

"Brother Buck, I could hear you flirting with every nurse the minute you hit this floor. And your expensive shoes, Ezra, have quite a distinctive squeak."

Ezra sputtered, "I do not squeak. These floors have an unusual amount of varnish."

Josiah turned to the security guard. "You can take a break for a while. I think the three of us can hold down the fort." They watched the guard walked away. "All right, what's going on? What have you figured out?"

Buck quickly explained what J.D. had discovered about Carlisle and how the meeting with Travis went. "What have you find out here?"

Josiah stretched. "Well, Jill is a 15 year old sophomore. She plays the violin in her school orchestra and at her church. It is her dream to play professionally. She loves watching baseball but not playing it. Her favorite team is the White Sox. She's working extra hours at a music store to buy a dress for the prom next month. She's allergic to tomatoes and likes a rock group called My Chemical . . . something."

"My Chemical Romance," Buck supplied. "J.D. listens to them too."

"You have done an excellent job learning about our young ward," Ezra complimented his teammate.

"It wasn't just me. She answered questions from the doctor and the nurses. We've mostly talked about her father and Cecilia."

"Who?"

Josiah sighed. "A nurse had given the girl's necklace to me to hold. It turned out to be a medallion of Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. Her father gave it to her when she made confirmation."

"And what has she shared about her father?"

"Typical stuff. He's too strict and doesn't understand what it's like to be a kid. He's got a weird sense of humor. But from the way she spoke of him, it is clear they have a very strong relationship. She is very proud of him." He paused and wiped his eyes tiredly. "I find it hard to believe that her father let this happen to her. And when she finds out . . ."

Buck patted Josiah's back. "She doesn't have to know all the facts yet. Hell, we don't even know if they are the facts or not. All I do know is that you're plumb tuckered out. You would be able to help that girl when you're dead on your feet."

"I must concur with our eloquent colleague. I will take up sentry duty for the next few hours."

"All right, Brothers. I'll just tell her I'm leaving." Josiah noticed the security guard returning with Rain Jackson and a nurse who was pushing a cart. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm just here to check on Jill," Rain replied. "Hello, Buck. Ezra. Here to visit?"

"Hey, darlin'. I'm here to take Josiah home. Ez is gonna spend the night watching the kid." Buck held open the door to the room for her and the others.

The girl had woken up and was now blinking tiredly at the group in the room. Rain smiled at her. "How are you feeling, Jill?"

When Jill opened her mouth to speak, she started to cough. The nurse passed her a plastic cup with a dark liquid in it. After swallowing it, she grimaced and said, "I hate that stuff."

Rain nodded in sympathy. "I know, but it will help with that cough and the fever you've developed. How's your shoulder and arm? Any pain or throbbing?"

"Not really, ma'am, but my head hurts."

"Well, you haven't eaten anything since you've been here. We'll get you some lunch and see how you feel after that."

Jill looked at the nurse who was removing the IV lines from her hand. "Does this mean I can take a shower now?" She lowered her voice. "I mean, I'm pretty nasty."

"Sorry, sweetie," Rain replied. "I'm afraid that a shower would be too much for your injuries and your lungs. You're going to have to stick with sponge baths for a while. I can see if one of the nurses will have time to wash your hair."

Ezra stepped forward. "I would be happy to assist if no one else is available."

Buck chuckled. "I didn't know you were a hairdresser, Ez."

"I am not, Mr. Wilmington. But I do know what it feels like to be trapped in one of these horrid facilities without an opportunity to care for one's personal hygiene." He turned to Rain. "No offense, my dear doctor."

Rain smiled at the southerner. "I don't take any offense, Ezra. You've probably spent more time in a hospital than I have."

Josiah sat next to the bed. "Ezra is going to stay with you for the rest of the day, Jill. Is that OK with you?"

The girl looked down. "Will I see you again?"

"Of course. How about I come back tomorrow?" He was pleased with the small smile he got back in response. But that smile quickly disappeared. "What's wrong?"

Still looking down, she asked quietly, "Has anyone heard from my dad?" A tear fell down her cheek.

Rain could tell something was bothering the three men. But Buck quickly put a smile on his face. "Don't worry, little lady. I'm sure your daddy is just fine. You concentrate on getting better, OK?"

The girl nodded. Rain and the nurse finished their work. Josiah and Buck said their good-byes and escorted the women out of the room. Once in the hallway, Rain turned to Buck. "You didn't answer her question."

"I didn't want to tell her the truth."

"Which is what?"

Buck looked at Josiah, who nodded sadly. "That her father may never be heard from again."

_**A/N: I don't know what it was about this chapter, but I had a heck of a time getting it out of me. Let me know if it was worth the mental surgery!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Author Note: I must apologize to those of you who read my previous chapters and wrote such thoughtful and kind reviews. My intent was to continue this story right away, but unfortunately real life got in the way. I do know where I am going with this so hopefully my next chapter won't be too long in the making. Thanks again to those of you who have been waiting for this. I hope it was worth the wait!

CHAPTER 4 

With the paper in one hand and a coffee in the other, Chris Larabee found himself walking through the hospital parking lot Sunday morning. He and the rest of his team had finished their Friday without any surprises. Larabee always sighed in relief when the end of the week came around and his team was safe and sound.

He and his men had finished getting ready for their testimony in next week's trial. It had been a complicated case with a bust that resulted in some fatalities, so they had to review all the evidence that had been collected and make sure their it's were crossed and it's were dotted. The DA had not been subtle in his desire to win this case, and he was putting the pressure on Team 7. But Chris wasn't worried about the trial. His men had done their work and the bust went relatively smoothly.

The meeting with the FBI was also ironed out during the day Friday. A couple of agents were to meet with the girl Monday morning at 9:00 in Team 7's conference room to take her statement and have her look over some mug shots. After the meeting, she would be taken to the safe house that Travis had arranged with the DEA. Since there was a question over a possible leak in either the FBI or the Denver PD, Travis wanted a completely neutral and unknown location to house the girl.

Chris rode the elevator up to the third floor and walked down the hall to the room where the guard stood out front. After showing his ID, he softly knocked on the door and walked in.

Nathan was sitting next to the bed, reading a book. The only light on in the room was pointed in his direction. The girl seemed to be sleeping, lying on her side facing away from Nathan. At least Chris assumed it was the girl. All he could see of her was her hair sticking out from under the blankets.

Nathan motioned for Chris to step back out into the hallway and he followed. Once the door was shut, Nathan sighed. "It's been a tough night."

"What do you mean? Is she getting worse?"

"No, not really. She has a low-grade fever, probably a reaction to the antibiotics. The last time they checked her lungs, they were better. And the fever isn't too bad so they aren't going to change the meds."

"What's the problem?"

"She's having nightmares. Not just last night either. I called the other boys and they said she had some when they were here. The doctor finally convinced her to take a sleeping pill."

"Damn. Does Josiah know? He seems to be able to get through to her."

Nathan nodded. "He tried to get her to talk yesterday, but I guess she wasn't sharing. He said he'd be back today, had some idea to get her to open up."

"An idea? Knowing Josiah, it probably involves some ancient Chinese ceremony and a bowl of his chili."

Both men chuckled. Josiah was known to have some strange ideas, but they always seemed to work out in the end.

"How about her father?" asked Nathan.

Chris shook his head. He shared with the team medic what he learned from Carlisle's captain, John Needham. Internal Affairs had put an APB on his car and were watching his bank accounts and credit cards, but so far nothing had come up. It was as if Carlisle had taken off . . . or something worse.

Both men went back into the room. The room light was now on. The bed was empty, but coughing from the closed bathroom explained why. Chris noticed that some items were littering the small table beside the bed. There was a bouquet of roses, a deck of playing cards, and an iPod.

Chris picked up the cards. "Aren't these Ezra's?"

"Yep," Nathan replied. "He 'left' them behind. Said Jill could bring them to him on Monday."

"And the flowers?"

"That would be Buck. Seems he can't help but flirt with any female, even ones he could be a daddy to. And J.D. let him bring his iPod for her to borrow." The team medic smiled. "Looks like she's got a couple of us wrapped around her finger, doesn't it?"

The bathroom door opened and the girl stepped out. The first thing Chris noticed was the dark circles under her eyes, and decided to talk to the doctor about another sleeping pill. The bruise on her face was fading to a yellowish-brown. Her arm was still strapped in a sling. "Good morning," she mumbled.

"Morning, Jill." Nathan picked up his book. "I'm going to head home now. Chris will keep ya company for a while. They should be serving breakfast soon. Are you hungry at all?"

She just shook her head and climbed back into the bed, turning away from them. Nathan looked at Chris and mouthed 'Get her to eat something.' They said their good-byes and Nathan left.

Not quite sure what to do next, Chris settled down in the chair next to the bed and opened the paper. After a few minutes, he glanced over the paper. The girl was still turned away. She looked small on the large white bed. Chris estimated she was a couple of inches shorter than J.D. and way too thin. Her hair reminded him of Sarah's, a sandy brown that could look lighter or darker depending on the day.

He realized he was staring when she started turning towards him. Feeling foolish, he hurriedly raised up the paper.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Casually lowering the paper, he replied, "You can call me Chris, remember?"

"Sorry. I forgot. Um, there was a man here yesterday. He had a moustache. What's his name again?"

"That would be Buck."

"Right. Well, he told me you were the one who pulled me of the water. I wanted . . . to say . . . um, thanks."

"You're welcome."

The girl touched the necklace that was back around her neck. "He also said that you were the one in charge. Is that true?"

"When my team actually listens to me, yes, I'm the one in charge." He wanted to add 'Why are you asking?' but sensed that rushing her would not be the right thing to do. He watched her pull on the necklace nervously.

"Being in charge means you have to tell the truth, right?"

Not sure where this was going, Chris folded up the newspaper and set it down on the floor. "Yes, most of the time."

The girl continued to fiddle with the necklace. Hoping it wouldn't frighten her, Chris got up and sat down on the edge of the bed. He wasn't entirely comfortable with talking about his own feelings, but he was good at getting someone else to talk. "Is there something you want to know?" he asked softly.

"I . . . Do you . . ." The girl started to cough. Chris waited for her to finish. He passed a cup of water from the bedside table to her. He saw her wince when she swallowed. He pressed the call button.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door and a nurse walked in. Chris asked, "Could she get tea with honey with her breakfast?" Before the girl could open her mouth, he said, "Yes, you are eating breakfast, young lady, whether you want to or not. You're not going to get any better if you don't get some food in your stomach."

The nurse smiled. "It seems that Mr. Jackson has had a positive influence on you."

"Well, let's keep that to ourselves or I'll never hear the end of it," he replied, winking at the girl. She weakly smiled back. The nurse quickly checked the girl's vitals before she left.

"Okay, you were going to ask me something?" Chris turned back to the girl.

Her hand found its way back to the necklace, tugging at it again. "Will you tell me the truth?" she asked softly.

"I will if I can."

Chris could tell she was struggling with whatever was bothering her. She was biting her bottom lip so hard that it looked like it could start bleeding. Her eyes were looking down, but he could see them filling.

"Is . . . my dad . . . is he dead?"

"I honestly don't know." Chris knew that this was the question the girl wanted to ask, and was sorry he was the one here to answer it. Josiah or Nathan would probably know just what to say. Even Ezra could figure out some words of comfort.

The girl just nodded and turned away, tears streaming down her face. Chris suddenly knew what to do. He gently pushed her head so she was facing him again. "Don't you give up on him now. Until you hear anything different, just keep thinking he's out there, looking for you. Can you do that?"

She sniffled and wiped at her face. "I . . . but what if he's dead?"

"Right now you need to believe he's OK. He wouldn't want you to be making yourself sick. You need to focus on getting better." Chris paused to grab some tissues for her. "Those nightmares? They've been about him, right?"

"I . . . I don't want to talk about them right now." The girl took the tissues from him and coughed a little. "God, I hate crying," he heard her mumble.

Chris didn't know what to say to that, so he got up off the bed. "I'm gonna check on your breakfast. And I'll get check on getting you something for that cough."

He stepped out of the room and was surprised to see Josiah leaning against the wall in the hallway. "How long have you been here, Josiah?"

The team profiler had a smirk on his face. "Long enough to hear Chris Larabee being miraculously optimistic. I sure wish our brothers were here to witness this blessed event."

"Shut up," Chris mumbled, trying to ignore the rising heat on his face. He lowered his voice. "You must be rubbing off on me. It seems that I've heard those words from you a few times in this place."

"I'm glad someone has been listening. You seem to be very comfortable with her."

Chris shrugged. "She just asked for me to be honest. That I can do." He saw the nurse coming towards them with a tray of food. "Ma'am, I'll take that in if you could find some cough syrup."

The nurse smiled. "Now, you'll make sure she eats everything here, right?"

Before he could answer, the ringing of a phone could be heard from inside the hospital room. With speed that belied his age, Josiah raced into the room. Chris was just a step behind. "Don't answer it!" they both yelled. Jill's hand froze over the handset.

She watched with wide eyes as Josiah picked up the phone. "Hello? Hello?" After a few seconds, he hung the phone up. He shook his head at Chris's unasked question.

Chris turned to the girl. "Have you called anyone from this room?"

"I wanted to try my friends, but Mr. Sanchez said that I couldn't. He said that I couldn't let anyone know where I was yet." Her hand gripped her necklace. "I thought no one know that I was here. Who was on the phone?"

Josiah placed a hand on her shoulder. "It will be all right. I'm sure it was just a wrong number."

Just then, the sound of a fire alarm rang through the air.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 **A/N: I wish I had an interesting or dramatic reason for not updating sooner, but alas, it was just real life getting in the way. I hope this chapter makes up for the loooong delay.**

No one moved. The fire alarm continued to blare as an announcement came over the PA. "All ambulatory patients proceed to the nearest stairwell and exit the building. All doctors, nurses, and security officers should report to the nurse's station on their floor to get evacuation assignments."

The door to the room began to swing open. Both Chris and Josiah moved to block view of the bed. Chris pulled his weapon.

"Whoa, Stud. We're the good guys, remember?"

Chris let out the breath he was holding. He lowered his gun as Buck and J.D. entered the room. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

"That was my idea, Brother." Josiah stepped forward. "I thought Jill could use some company today."

Buck walked over to the bed and handed the girl the bouquet of flowers he was carrying. "Hey, little lady. You seem to be having an exciting morning."

"There's a fire. We have to get out." She looked panicked.

"It's OK, darlin'. Chris here has a plan. Right, Chris?"

Chris thought quickly. "All right. J.D., take Jill down to the first floor. Find a place to stash yourselves."

"I know the perfect place. I will go with them," Josiah offered.

"But we have to get out!" the girl cried. She started to cough.

"Listen to me. I doubt there really is a fire. But you have to leave this room." Chris motioned for Buck to follow him out of the room.

The announcement repeated. The alarm continued, but at a lower volume. Flashing lights could be seen in the hall before the door closed.

J.D. opened the standing cabinet and found some hospital-issue bathrobes and slippers. "Where are we headed, Josiah?" he asked as he handed the items to his teammate.

"The hospital chapel. I was planning to take Jill there later today for Sunday services. It's small with only one entrance and close enough to the main entrance in case we do have to leave," the profiler answered while helping Jill out of bed.

She pushed away his hands. "Wait a minute. I don't understand. Why aren't we going outside?" she demanded.

"I believe Chris suspects the fire alarm is a ploy to get you out in the open. You can't leave this building."

"Why not just stay here?" J.D. wondered.

The girl's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh my god, the phone."

Josiah nodded. "It seems that someone may have tracked you down to this room. We need to get out of here quickly." He helped her put on the robe around her injured arm and shoulder.

When J.D. bent down to help with the slippers, he noticed the girl looking at his holster under his jacket. "You're a cop?"

J.D. couldn't help but sigh. "Yes, I am an ATF agent." 

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that I thought . . . I mean, you look . . ."

"It's OK. I get that all the time. When you hang around with these old timers, people tend to think . . . Ow!" J.D. winced as Josiah pinched the back of his neck.

"What were you saying, J.D.?"

"Nothing, Josiah. Nothing at all."

The large man released J.D.'s neck and pretended not to notice the wink the younger man passed to Jill. Josiah frowned when she started to cough. "I'll be right back." He stepped out of the room.

"So how long have you been with ATF?"

J.D. stood back up. "I was a cop first, back in Boston. That's where I'm from. After my mother died, I headed out west to join the ATF. I was lucky enough to get picked to be on Team 7. Sometimes they call us the Magnificent Seven," he finished proudly.

"Like the movie?"

J.D. beamed. "Yeah. That's one of my favorites. I'm a sucker for westerns. You like westerns?"

"Not really. My dad does, though. He's always picking westerns for movie night."

"What's movie night?" Josiah asked, stepping back into the room. He handed the girl a small plastic cup. "Here's some cough syrup."

Jill downed the medicine with a grimace. "My dad and I try to spend one night a week together watching a movie or two. Sometimes it's the only time I get to see him." She shook her head. "He has the weirdest taste in movies."

"Hey, The Magnificent Seven is a classic. There's nothing weird about that movie."

"Easy, Brother." Josiah turned to the girl and loudly whispered, "He's pretty sensitive about that movie." He was pleased to see her giggle at J.D.'s hurt face.

Josiah handed her a pillow and a couple of blankets. "We're going to move quickly to the stairwell. Keep moving unless we tell you to stop. I'm going first. Wait about half a minute, and then you two follow. Understand?" J.D. nodded, pulling out his gun and taking off the safety. The girl also nodded, any sign of laughter gone from her face when she saw the gun.

Josiah left the room. The only sounds for the next 30 seconds were the fire alarm. After what seemed like an eternity to her, J.D. motioned for Jill to follow him out of the room. The hall was strangely empty. Well, not completely empty. She noticed the man with the moustache who gave her the flowers was standing inside the nurse's station. Chris was positioned next to the elevators, as if waiting for someone to come out. Josiah was at the stairwell door, propping it open.

If any of the others patients or hospital personnel noticed the two-armed men with a teenaged girl in the stairwell, no one said anything. Everyone made their way down in relative silence.

The small group exited the stairwell on the first floor. Josiah led them towards a small hallway off the main entrance. At the end of the hall was a set of wooden double doors.

The profiler opened the doors, but motioned for Jill to wait. She waited, clutching the blanket and pillows against her chest. J.D. gave her a small smile, but didn't say anything.

The girl couldn't help but jump when the door opened again. Josiah guided her down the center aisle of the small room, simple wooden pews on either side of them. He could feel slight tremors when he touched her back. The younger agent entered as well, but stayed by the doors, leaving one slightly ajar to watch the hall.

"Let's have you wait here," Josiah suggested when they got to the first row. "Okay, Jill?"

When the girl didn't answer, he took a good look at her. Her eyes looked dilated and glassy. He picked up her hand to check her pulse, her skin feeling clammy. Her pulse was a little rapid. Recognizing the signs of shock, he tried to remove the pillow and blankets from her death grip.

"No, these are mine!" she snapped. She weakly struggled with the man.

Josiah easily took possession of the items and laid them on the pew. He gently pushed her to sit beside them. He could imagine Nathan's voice telling him to get her to lie down, get her feet above her head, and keep her warm.

"We can't stay here. They'll find us here!"

"I have an idea. How about you lay down? That way no one will be able to see you from the door." She put her head down on the pillow at the other end of the pew. He unfolded one of the blankets and covered her with it. Then he put the other folded blankets under her feet, so they were elevated.

Josiah noticed she was mumbling. He knelt by her and listened. "It's all my fault, it's all my fault."

"What's your fault, Jill?" he prompted gently. He needed to keep her talking.

"I shouldn't have talked to him. I knew I wasn't supposed to. But I did and now . . . it's all my fault. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry," she finished with a sob.

Before he could ask who she was talking about, his cell phone rang.

"Josiah?"

"Hold on, JD." He fumbled open his cell phone and saw who the caller was. "Hey, Nathan. I can't talk. We have a little situation here."

"I know. Rain called me about the fire alarm. I tried Chris, but he told me to call you and then hung up. Are you guys all right?"

"The alarm may be a ploy to get Jill outside. There was a call to her room. We're hiding out in the chapel. I've got JD with me. Buck stayed upstairs with Chris to see if anyone approaches the room."

"How's Jill?"

Josiah moved away from the pew he was kneeling in front of. He motioned for JD to switch places with him. Watching the corridor leading to the chapel, he continued, "She's suffering from shock. I've got her lying down, covered up with her feet elevated. But, I'm worried about her mental state."

"Did Chris tell you about the nightmares?"

"I overheard him ask her about them. This little girl is holding on to some kind of guilt, and it's eating her alive. For some reason, she thinks all of this is her fault."

"I'm heading back to the hospital. I'll be there in about 15 minutes."

"We'd sure appreciate the company, but you might have a hard time getting in."

"I'll figure something out. You guys might need some back-up. I'm gonna call Vin and Ez, too."

Josiah smiled. "That will be an interesting call to Brother Ezra's home. It's not even nine o'clock yet."

"That's true. Maybe I'll have Vin call him for me. See ya in a few and stay safe."

Josiah closed his cell. Seeing no one in the corridor leading to the chapel, he stepped back towards the pews. JD's jacket now laid on top of the blankets. The younger agent was kneeling on the ground beside the pew, one of his hands being gripped by the girl.

Josiah tried not to smile at the panicked look at his teammate's face, "She's asleep, but she won't let go of my hand."

"I think she needs to hold on to someone for the moment, to feel safe." The older agent checked the girl's pulse, pleased that it was slower and steady. "Did she say anything else to you? About talking to someone she wasn't supposed to?"

J.D. whispered back, "No, she just keep saying she was sorry. I didn't know what she was talking about, so I just said that she was safe and everything was going to be okay. Should I not have said that?"

"That was fine. I just pray you're right."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I would like to dedicate this long overdue chapter to the wonderful folks who were kind enough to include this story on their alert list: BM originally, Cassandra30, DarkHarpie54, and amsilcox. You guys were my inspiration to get my butt in gear. I hope you enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 6**

When she opened her eyes, she was confused. Where was she? Slowly focusing, Jill realized she was looking at a pulpit. Was she at church? Then she remembered. The hospital. The fire alarm.

She could hear whispering from behind her. She turned to peer over the top of the pew, moving slow not to jar her sore shoulder. She saw Josiah and the younger agent talking to two fire fighters. Was there really a fire? Did they have to get out?

She continued to watch the small group of men. They seemed to be relaxed, not worried at all. The fire fighter who was slouching in the doorway looked over at her. He touched the brim of his helmet and nodded his head. Both were wearing breathing masks, so she couldn't see his face, but she got the feeling that she knew him. How was that possible?

They must have finished whatever they were talking about, because the firefighters headed back out of the chapel. Before they left, she noticed the other firefighter salute the two agents with two fingers.

Josiah was smiling when he crossed over to the pew she was sitting up on. "How are you feeling, Jill? You're looking much better."

"Who were they? Do we have to leave? Is the fire out?"

"Whoa. Slow down. You're worse than JD after he drinks coffee."

"Hey!"

Josiah smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. After two coffees." He sat on the pew next to the girl. "Don't worry, we're safe. There are some plenty of guardian angels out there watching out for you."

J.D. smirked. "Angels? You're calling Ez and Vin angels?"

"Well, their halos may be a little crooked, but they'll get the job done." He turned back to the confused girl. "Those really weren't firefighters."

"Oh." Now she understood why they seemed familiar. "They're from your team. Ezra, I mean Mr. Standish, he's the one who was here yesterday, right? He talks like my English teacher."

"Yep, he's the one," J.D. replied. "I don't know if you met Vin yet. He's kind of quiet. Has longish hair."

Jill remembered a man standing apart from the others in her room the day before. He had been leaning against the wall just like the firefighter today. "He's the one who tried to call my dad, right?"

She didn't miss the look the two agents gave each other. The older one quickly flashed a smile. "Yes, that was Vin. So, tell me. Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm fine."

"You have clearly been spending too much time with J.D.," said Nathan as he walked into the chapel. He was carrying a plastic bag and a tray of drinks. "How do you really feel?"

Jill thought about it. "My shoulder's kind of sore. My throat feels scratchy. And my stomach hurts."

"I bet you're hungry. Here, I brought you something." Nathan reached into the bag and pulled out a banana. "I also have hot tea for you."

Jill thought back to the conversation with Chris. "With honey?"

Nathan looked surprised. "Yes, as a matter of fact." He handed her the banana and a Styrofoam cup.

"How long was I asleep?"

"About 20 minutes," Josiah answered. "We're waiting for the all-clear signal."

"Why were your friends dressed up like firemen?" the girl asked, sipping carefully on the hot tea.

Josiah took one of the Styrofoam cups from the take-out tray. "Vin and Ezra were in the area when the alarm sounded. They felt they could do find out be our eyes on the outside." He looked at the other men. What he didn't say was that Vin and Ezra were watching to see who were coming out of the hospital or waiting on the nearby streets. Disguised as members of the fire companies reporting to the alarm, they could look out for suspicious persons, like members of the Genovese family.

Surprisingly, there were no signs of any possible troublemakers. Vin and Ezra had shared their observations with Chris and Buck, who were still upstairs staking out Jill's room. Concluding that this was not a false alarm designed to get the girl out of the hospital, Chris went to find the fire captain to find out exactly what happened. Buck was sent to find out when the hospital was going to allow the patients to return to their rooms.

The three agents spent the next few minutes in silence, sipping the coffees that Nathan brought for them. Josiah noticed the girl was staring at the red votive candles that stood in the front of the room. Some were lit, little licks of flame that represented the prayers for loved ones to recover or to be remembered fondly. She was tugging at her St. Cecilia necklace. The look on her face was hard to read. Was it fear? Guilt? Defeat?

He had planned to bring her here to the chapel to ease her pain. Through their talks, she had revealed her faith and commitment to the church. But he knew from personal experience how one's faith is questioned and doubted in times of trouble. Her entire life had been thrown into turmoil, and right now she needed to get control of it.

Josiah decided it was time to address what was hurting her. He turned to his friends. "Brothers, do you think you could give Jill and I a moment alone?"

Nathan immediately nodded and stood up. He knew that what was hurting the girl now was beyond medicine. He hoped that Josiah could help her. He gently pushed J.D. out the exit. The younger agent clearly wanted to ask what was going on, but he correctly sensed it was not the time to ask.

As Nathan closed the doors, he saw the rest of the team approach the chapel. "What's going on?" Buck asked, bringing the wheelchair he had been pushing to a stop.

"Yeah. What's going on?" JD demanded.

Before Nathan could answer, Chris spoke up. "Is Josiah talking with her?"

"Is she all right? Is something wrong? Has a new calamity developed?"

Nathan held up his hand to stop the barrage of questions. "I think Jill just needs some time to get things off her mind."

"Then Mr. Sanchez is the perfect candidate to ease her mind. He'll hypnotize her with some obscure parable that remarkably relates to her situation, and she'll be so utterly confused that she will forget her own troubles.

With a small smirk on his face, Chris decided to move on. "As soon as they are done, we'll move her back up to her room."

"Are we sure it's still secure?" Nathan asked.

"Me and Ez didn't see nobody from the Genovese family outside in the crowd," Vin replied.

J.D. wondered, "Was there even a fire?"

"No, the fire chief said the only his men found was an activated pull-station on the 6th floor. I told him to get DPD to dust it for prints, but I doubt they'll find any." Chris then noticed the duffel Ezra was carrying. "What is that?"

"Oh, this? I just procured some personal items for Miss Carlisle."

Chris felt that particular pain behind his left eye that only his undercover agent could cause. "Damnit, Standish, you went to her apartment!"

"Well, where else would I find her personal items?"

In an attempt to keep his voice down, he growled, "Her father is being investigated by IA, and who knows who else is watching the damn place. What the hell were you thinking?"

"Don't worry," Vin spoke up. "No one was watchin' the place."

"And how the hell would . . ." Chris's left eye started twitching. "You went with him!" he bellowed.

"Now, now," Buck tried to calm down his fuming friend, "I bet Ez and Junior were in and out like a couple of ninjas. Right boys?"

The matching smirks on the two agents in question did nothing to ease the now blinding pain in Chris's head.

"Maybe we shouldn't mention the message," Vin stage-whispered to Ezra.

"What message?" Chris demanded quietly. The two smirks quickly disappeared when hit with the intense glare.

Just then, the chapel doors opened. Josiah had one arm around the girl's shoulders. She had clearly been crying, her face red and blotchy. "Is there a problem, Brothers?"

Ezra stepped toward them. "Oh, Mr. Sanchez, your timing is impeccable. I feel Mr. Tanner and I may owe you our lives." He motioned with his head towards Chris, who was still glaring at his two agents.

"I think Jill is ready to return to her room, if she is allowed." Josiah looked at the team leader, who was still visibly tense. "Again, is there a problem?"

The other men looked at each other. Surprisingly, it was Chris who answered. "Yeah, there is, but we'll deal with it later." He turned to the girl and tried to soften his voice. "Are you ready to head back to the room, kiddo?"

The girl didn't look up. "Yes, sir."

Chris sighed. She was back to 'sir'. He looked at Josiah, who shook his head and mouthed 'later.'

Buck pushed the wheelchair forward. "Well, little lady, your chariot awaits." He swept his arm over the wheelchair. "And I've got some good news from the doctor."

This time the girl did look up. "What good news?"

"I was talking with Dr. Jackson, also known as Nathan's better, gorgeous, sexier half . . ."

"Buck."

"What, Nathan? It's true, ain't it? Anyway, she said that if you were feeling up to it, you could take a shower."

"Really?"

"Yep. Can't wash your hair though. Maybe we could convince Ez to help ya out again."

Ezra helped her into the chair. "It would be my honor. I also have some of your things so you can change out of that dreadful gown."

"Cool. Let's go." The girl flashed a tired smile.

Chris had to smile as they headed down the corridor. Trust Buck to get a girl excited about getting her hair done.

The rest of the evacuated patients were being brought back in and there were only two elevators. The team chatted quietly while waiting for an elevator for about 15 minutes. Chris did notice that Vin and Ezra were keeping their distance from him.

When they finally reached her room, Jill jumped out of the wheelchair. She grabbed the bag from Ezra. "I'm going to take the longest, hottest shower ever!" She set the bag on the bed.

"You're gonna shrivel up like a raisin," Buck quipped. He sat on the other side of the bed.

"Buck."

"Hey, it wasn't that bad."

"No, Buck, look." JD pointed.

Buck looked behind him. Jill was still standing next to the bed. But she had something in her hand.

"Jill?"

When the girl didn't answer, Chris and Josiah moved toward her. "Jill, are you all right?" the profiler asked gently.

Chris peered over her shoulder to see what she was holding. It was a bag of jellybeans and a piece of paper. "Jill, what is it?"

She looked at him. He was surprised to see tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She started laughing and crying at the same time.

Josiah forced her to sit on the bed. Chris tried to take the bag of candy out of her hand, but she had a firm grip on it. He was able to loosen the grip enough to get the piece of paper. Nathan knelt in front of her. "Jill, what's the matter?"

She sniffed. "It's . . . I . . ." She started crying again. This time she turned and hugged Josiah.

Chris opened the folded paper. It had three words written on it.

"What does it say?" Vin asked quietly.

"As you wish."

Jill laughed out loud and wiped at her face. "It's my dad!"

The men looked at each other. Nathan stood up. "Maybe I should go find a doctor."

"No, no, I'm fine. It's just . . . he's alive! My dad's alive!"


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Ezra handed Jill a box of tissues. "I'm afraid we are quite in the dark, my dear. Do you think you could elucidate this sudden epiphany?"

"Wh . . . what?"

"How do you know this is from your dad?" Josiah explained.

She smiled faintly. "The jelly beans. My dad used to call me Jilly Bean all the time. I finally got him to stop doing it in public when he yelled it out picking me up from school one day. Oh my god, it was totally humiliating. But he still does it, you know, when it's just the two of us, to annoy me and stuff." She coughed and blew her nose.

"And the note?" Josiah prompted.

"It's from his favorite movie, The Princess Bride. He doesn't like to admit that it's his favorite, but I know it is 'cause he always wants to watch it. Anyway, Westley would always say it to Buttercup, but what he really meant was . . . was . . ." The girl was too choked up to continue.

Chris finished, "I love you."

Everyone in the team except Buck looked at him in surprise.

"What?"

"And how'd ya know that, Cowboy?"

Buck answered, "It was Sarah's favorite movie." 

"Yeah. I've probably seen that movie a hundred times," Chris grumbled. He blinked away the tears that suddenly appeared. If the men noticed, no one said anything.

"How did he get in here?" JD asked.

"Had to be after Chris and I left."

The girl suddenly jumped off the bed. "Oh my God! He might still be here. I have to go find him!" She would have flown out of the room, if Vin didn't block the door.

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that."

"But I've got to find my dad! Let me out!" She tried to shove the sharpshooter of the way, but he wouldn't budge. She started to hit his chest with her fists.

"Jill, calm down and listen." Josiah held her arms, so she couldn't hit Vin anymore. "It may not be safe for you out there."

She continued to struggle, but couldn't free herself from the profiler's gentle hold. Tears of frustration fell from her eyes. "Please. I have to find him. I have to tell him I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Please." She finally gave up her battle, falling across him and crying and coughing into his shirt.

The rest of the men watched sadly as Josiah sat down with her on the edge of the bed, putting his arm around her shoulders. Buck knelt down in front of her. "Darlin', none of this is your fault."

"But it is!" she exploded. "I . . ." She didn't finish, instead started crying anew.

Chris decided this had gone on too long. "How is it your fault?"

He was about to repeat the question when Jill started to talk. "I . . . should've called him. To tell him I was leaving work early. He was going to pick me up when I was done. I thought . . . I thought I'd just take the bus home, but . . . I didn't have enough money. And my stupid phone was dead. I should've gone back to Mr. D's and . . . call my dad. But I didn't . . . didn't want to wait, I just wanted to go home. So, . . . I started walking."

She took a deep shuddering breath and started to pull on her necklace. The men waited silently for her to continue. "I went about half a block . . . when this car pulled up. A guy . . . he asked if I wanted a ride . . ."

She looked up at Chris, tears still on her face. "I know you're not supposed to get rides from strangers. I know that. Dad's been telling me that forever. But he knew my name, said . . . said he was a friend of my dad's and he flashed a badge . . . I think it was a badge . . . and I was so tired . . . and my head hurt . . . and he looked okay . . . and . . ." She started coughing.

Vin passed a cup of water over Buck's shoulder to her. She took a small sip. She looked around to the rest of the team. "I must've fallen asleep, 'cause the next thing I knew, we were pulling into this big building. The guy pulled me out of the car. I think . . . I hit him with my bag and started to run. But he grabbed my arm and pulled hard. Like really hard. I . . . ended up on the ground. Then I saw some other guys coming. I . . . I started screaming and kicking, but . . . he wouldn't let go . . . I think he hit me. I don't remember . . . I felt so sick . . . I couldn't stay awake . . . cold and . . . couldn't breathe." She looked back at Chris. "Then I saw you." She leaned tiredly into Josiah, who took the cup from her trembling hands.

"Your nightmares?" Nathan asked. "You've been remembering what happened."

She sniffled. "But I keep seeing my dad there. He . . . he won't help me . . . he keeps saying . . . that it's all my fault . . . I was stupid . . . that he was going to lose his job . . . 'cause of me . . . oh God, he's gonna hate me!" She broke down, hysterically crying into Josiah's side.

The profiler pulled her into an embrace. "Oh child, none of this is your fault."

"But it is! I should have walked away," the girl insisted. She started to pull on her necklace and coughing.

Chris knelt down next to Buck. "Jill, listen to me. From what you told us, those men were specifically after you. They came to your job. They knew your name and that your father was a cop. This was not some random crime. You were a target and they were going to take you, one way or another."

He tried not to react to the shock in her eyes. He knew he had to be blunt, to get the truth through her guilt. He watched her face as she took in what he said. He just hoped that she wouldn't ask . . .

"But why? Why me?" she mumbled.

Damn. Chris looked to Josiah for help with this one. Should he tell her that her father might be a dirty cop, working for the mob?

Luckily, Ezra stepped up. "My dear Ms. Carlisle, I am afraid that is a query for the miscreants in question. You can be assured that they are capable individuals who are currently conducting an investigation into your circumstance."

Buck squinted up at Ezra from the floor. "What was that again, Ez?"

Ezra rolled his eyes. "Really Mr. Wilmington, I would think at your age you would have some rudimentary understanding of your native language."

"Now, what was that?" Buck sneaked a wink at the girl, who smiled. "Do you understand what he's saying?"

She nodded.

"Well, that's official. I'm hiring you on as my official Ez translator."

Vin whistled. "That there's a full-time job. She may wanna think 'bout it first."

Josiah smiled at his teammates. He could feel Jill slowly relaxing under his arm. The tension and guilt that had building up over the past few days were finally out in the open.

Chris recognized what his men were doing too. As agents in a high-risk profession, he knew the benefits of letting go and finding humor in the little moments. But there was a time and a place for that, and right now he wanted to talk to his team. Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, he said, "How about we head out so Jill can take that shower before the doctors change their minds?"

Jill's eyes widened. "You're not leaving, right? I mean, . . . can't you stay?"

Josiah squeezed her shoulders. "We'll just be in the hall, so you can have some privacy."

"Oh, all right. Are you still willing to wash my hair for me, Mr. Standish?"

"Of course, my dear. It would be my pleasure to be of service again."

All the men except Josiah left the room. Jill had asked him to put her hair up while she took the shower. He also helped her adjust the water temperature.

When he stepped into the hallway, he immediately noticed Chris staring down Ezra and Vin. "All right, Josiah's here now so quit stalling and tell me what the hell you found in the apartment." Nathan, Buck, and JD were watching, staying out of the line of fire.

Vin looked at the undercover agent and gestured for him to speak.

"No, Mr. Tanner. I must insist you go first."

Chris growled, "Someone better start talking now."

"Well, ya see Chris, 'Siah asked us to come for a visit today, so Ez thought it'd be nice to git the kid some of her things. We got the address for her place from the research JD did and headed there this mornin'."

Ezra picked up the story. "Once we convinced the landlord of our honorable intentions and displayed our credentials, he was more than accommodating. We entered the residence legally, in case you were worried about that."

"It may have been legal, but damn it, the man's under investigation. You two poking your heads around there is getting us involved!"

Buck cleared his throat. "Um, Pard, I think we're already involved."

Chris turned his glare onto his oldest friend. Buck raised both hands and stepped back. The glare was refocused on the two agents. "Keep talking."

"We made our entry into the abode, which is smaller than Mr. Tanner's hovel . . . no offense . . . and found it to be seemingly undisturbed. No signs of struggle."

"Ez went to the girl's room to git some of her stuff. I checked out the place. It was pretty clear nobody's been there in a while. Food gone bad in the fridge. Lotsa messages on the answering machine."

"You said something about a message downstairs. Did you listen to the answering machine?" Nathan asked.

"Yep. Don't worry, Cowboy, I saved them for the IA boys to take a listen to 'em when they hit the place."

Josiah placed his hand on Chris's shoulder, hoping it was a calming presence to the obviously agitated man. In the least, it would give him an advantage when the profiler would have to keep the man from choking Vin and Ezra.

Ezra continued, "Most of the messages were insignificant: Jill's friends, her employer, the station. But there was one that stood out. A bank representative called to inform Mr. Carlisle of a missed appointment to discuss a small loan."

JD frowned. "What's the big deal about that?"

"Think about it, Mr. Dunne. Why would a man who has been acting as a secret informant for one of the largest crime families in Denver need a loan? People in those position are usually well compensated for their clandestine efforts."

"And you said the apartment was small?" Buck added.

"Yeah. Only one bedroom. There was a pull-out couch in the living room. I reckon that's where the dad sleeps."

"Maybe he's got debts or a gambling problem," the blonde agent murmured doubtfully. He had to admit that this didn't sound like the lifestyle of a dirty cop. Most bought expensive cars, second homes, or took exotic vacations.

"Hey, I could check out his finances, see if I find anything weird," JD offered. "I could hack into . . ." 

Chris held up his hand. "I don't want to hear the word 'hack,' kid. Just do it carefully and quietly. I don't want anything trace back to you or us. You can do that, right?"

JD beamed. "Absolutely."

"So this is us not getting involved?"

"Shut up, Buck."


End file.
